You may or may not know what the term tingkat actually means, but we at Daily Vanity are 300% sure that you have at least seen it before. Chances are, you probably have a grandparent or older relative who has even used this regularly, and it may even have become intimately associated with your childhood.

Source

Mangkuk tingkat, meaning “levelled bowls” in Malay, are metal tiffin carriers that were widely used a few decades ago as lunch boxes or simply as a means to bring dishes around in an efficient and convenient manner.

They have generally been substituted by plastic containers at food stalls and hawker centres when you want to buy a dish to-go. However, the term tingkat is still commonly used to refer to a form of meal delivery scheme offered by caterers, consisting of different dishes every day for variety and usually spanning 2 to 3 weeks.

Tingkat delivery combines the two things that us Singaporeans love best: good food, and being time-efficient. Most of us would know the headache of deciding what to eat for dinner, how much to spend, or the dread of having to go home and prepare a meal after a very long and tiring work day. This problem is only exacerbated if you are health-conscious and are attempting to adopt a healthier diet.

Tingkat meals also tend to be healthier than eating out, as they usually consist of simpler dishes that remind us of home-cooked food. Many tingkat caterers are also committed to preparing their dishes in a healthier way, without using as much salt, oil and MSG as you might find in a restaurant – just like how our mothers would have preferred it for us. We have sussed out a few healthier tingkat options for your consideration. No more fussing about the inconveniences of eating healthy!

1. Xin Yi Pin Catering 

Rating: 4.2 / 5 (131 reviews)

Find it here: Xin Yi Pin Catering

Healthy? Xin Yi Pin Catering promises to use less salt and oil for a healthier meal option. Customer reviews have agreed with this claim, stating that the food from Xin Yi Pin Catering is less oily than other caterers.

Delivery charge: FOC

Delivery services: Tingkat delivery only from Monday to Friday. No delivery on public holidays, Saturdays or Sundays.

Delivery areas:

• North: Sembawang, Woodlands, Yishun, Yio Chu Kang
• North-East: Serangoon North, Serangoon Central, Hougang, Sengkang, Punggol
• West: Jurong East, Jurong West, Bukit Batok, Chua Chu Kang, Bukit Panjang

Payment mode: Cash/cheque on delivery

Halal: No

Menus

10 days

Choose between 3 dishes and 1 soup, or 4 dishes. Click here for current menu being served, and other terms and conditions.

No. of people: 2 to 5

Price range: SGD 117.70 to SGD 294.25 (inclusive of GST)

20 days

Choose between 3 dishes and 1 soup, or 4 dishes. Click here for current menu being served, and other terms and conditions.

No. of people: 2 to 5

Price range: SGD 211.86 to SGD 447.26 (inclusive of GST)

2. Jessie Catering Pte Ltd 

Rating: 3.9 / 5 (98 reviews)

Find it here: Jessie Catering Pte Ltd

Healthy? Customer reviews have stated that the food from Jessie Catering is generally not too salty (1, 2, 3).

Delivery charge: FOC

Delivery services: Tingkat delivery only from Monday to Friday. No delivery on public holidays, Saturdays or Sundays.

Delivery areas:

• Lunch: East area only
• Dinner: Most parts of Singapore

Payment mode: Cash/cheque on delivery, e-Invoice

Halal: No

Menus

5 days

Choose between 3 dishes, 3 dishes and 1 soup, 4 dishes, or 4 dishes and 1 soup. Click the desired option for sample menu, specific prices, and other terms and conditions.

No. of people: 1 to 5

Price range: SGD 47.50 to SGD 142.50 (inclusive of GST)

10 days

Choose between 3 dishes, 3 dishes and 1 soup, 4 dishes, or 4 dishes and 1 soup. Click the desired option for sample menu, specific prices, and other terms and conditions.

No. of people: 1 to 5

Price range: SGD 75 to SGD 255 (inclusive of GST)

20 days

Choose between 3 dishes, 3 dishes and 1 soup, 4 dishes, or 4 dishes and 1 soup. Click the desired option for sample menu, specific prices, and other terms and conditions.

No. of people: 1 to 5

Price range: SGD 130 to SGD 485 (inclusive of GST)

3. Ronnie Kitchen

Rating: 4.3 / 5 (564 reviews)

Find it here: Ronnie Kitchen

Healthy? Satisfied customers have said that it tastes like homecooked food.

Delivery charge: FOC

Delivery services: Tingkat delivery only from Monday to Friday. No delivery on public holidays, Saturdays or Sundays.

Delivery areas:

• North: Sembawang, Woodlands, Yishun, Yio Chu Kang, Ang Mo Kio, Bishan, Toa Payoh
• North-East: Serangoon North, Serangoon Central, Hougang, Sengkang, Punggol
• East: Tampines, Pasir Ris, Bedok, Bedok Reservoir, Chai Chee, East Coast Road, Marine Parade
• West: Jurong East, Jurong West, Bukit Batok, Chua Chu Kang, Bukit Panjang

Payment mode: Cash/cheque on delivery

Halal: No

Menus

5 days (Trial)

Menu: 3 dishes and 1 soup, or 4 dishes. Click here for sample menu, and other terms and conditions.

No. of people: 1 to 5

Price range: SGD 50.83 to SGD 144.45 (inclusive of GST)

20 days

Menu: 3 dishes and 1 soup, or 4 dishes. Click here for sample menu, and other terms and conditions.

No. of people: 1 to 5

Price range: SGD 160.50 to SGD 438.70 (inclusive of GST)

4. Savory Kitchen

Rating: 3.9 / 5 (119 reviews)

Find it here: Savory Kitchen

Healthy? Customers have reviewed that their food is not too oily and does not contain MSG or too much salt.

Delivery charge: FOC

Delivery services: Tingkat delivery only from Monday to Friday. No delivery on public holidays, Saturdays or Sundays.

Delivery areas: Postal codes starting with 08-10, 12-16, 27, 31, 41-42, 44-47, 51-57, 60, 65-68, 73, 75-76, 82

Payment mode: Cash/cheque on delivery

Halal: No

Menus

10 days

Choose between 3 dishes and 1 soup, 4 dishes, or 4 dishes and 1 soup. Click the desired option for sample menu, specific prices, and other terms and conditions.

No. of people: 2 to 5

Price range: SGD 144.45 to SGD 240.75 (inclusive of GST)

20 days

Choose between 3 dishes and 1 soup, 4 dishes, or 4 dishes and 1 soup. Click the desired option for sample menu, specific prices, and other terms and conditions.

No. of people: 2 to 5

Price range: SGD 230.05 to SGD 905.22 (inclusive of GST)

Promotion: Sign up for 20 days and receive 2 days free

40 days

Choose between 3 dishes and 1 soup, 4 dishes, or 4 dishes and 1 soup. Click the desired option for sample menu, specific prices, and other terms and conditions.

No. of people: 2 to 5

Price range: SGD 460.10 to SGD 1,005.80 (inclusive of GST)

Promotion: Sign up for 40 days and receive 5 days free

5. 338 Catering

Rating: 4.3 / 5 (670 reviews)

Find it here: 338 Catering

Healthy? 338 Catering promises to use the “freshest quality ingredients” and that their meals contain less oil and less salt. Satisfied customers have agreed, saying that their food is not too salty.

Delivery charge: FOC

Delivery services: Tingkat delivery only from Monday to Friday. No delivery on public holidays, Saturdays or Sundays.

Delivery areas:

• North: Ang Mo Kio, Bishan, Woodlands, Admiralty, Yishun, Sembawang, Marsiling
• North-East: Sengkang, Punggol, Hougang
• East: Tampines, Pasir Ris, Bedok
• West: Choa Chu Kang, Bukit Panjang, Jurong East, Jurong West

Payment mode: Cash, cheque or i-Banking.

Halal: No

Menus

20 days

Choose between 3 dishes and 1 soup, or 4 dishes for 2 – 4 people, or 4 dishes for 5 people (with free soup).

No. of people: 2 to 5

Price range: SGD 223.63 to SGD 416.23

Need more options?

Check out FoodLine for a longer list of tingkat caterers!

All tingkat listings on FoodLine come with previous customers’ reviews and photographs, multiple menus selection for your consideration, areas that the caterer is able to deliver to, accepted payment methods and prices inclusive of GST.

Use the promo code FL38DV to receive SGD38 Cash Rewards* with a minimum spending of SGD300, when you use FoodLine for the first time.

*SGD 38 Cash Rebate will be provided upon leaving a review on FoodLine’s website.

Promo code offer ends on 10 August 2017, so do order from FoodLine soon!

Featured image taken from here.